Al-Anfal 16: With the exception of retreating to fight again, or to reach another company, those who turn their back to them on such a day, they will return and earn Allah’s wrath. Their place is hell. How wretched a destination it is!

Surah Al-Anfal, verse 16. Turning aside to fight again, or joining another company and holding a position — apart from that; we explained it just now. Apart from these two cases. How beautifully Allah Almighty says it in His verse. Whoever turns his back to them on such a day has surely drawn Allah's wrath, Allah's wrath, and returns having deserved it. His abode is Hell. What an evil destination that is! So a Muslim cannot flee from battle. He dies, he gives his life; there is no turning back from battle for him. Our mothers, when sending their children to war, would say: my son, I will not forgive you my milk; never retreat before the enemy. Otherwise I will not forgive you my milk, they would say.

Yes. Now, if we are to speak frankly, (?) in this country there are ninety-five percent Muslims; within the ninety-five percent, it is twenty percent that do not have these feelings; in five percent you would hardly find it. Religion has grown ever weaker; faith has remained in people like the tip of a needle. People will say 'I am a believer' and stand up to you, but on condition that they never compromise their nafs, embracing worldly desire and never giving it up, they will do what you want.

Yes. That is why Islam — its name is very honourable. People who live Islam are also very honourable.

He said: the name Islam is very honourable. Because Allah says: I have given you this name. People who live Islam are also very honourable.

You know, the other day a

person, also about Islam, is talking — at a Quran competition. To those who came first, or to those who won the competition there, he says Kalashnikov rifles were given. Not to Islam — because they do not know Islam. Those who want to (?) Islam as an ideology, they do not speak for Islam. Islam is truly honourable. Islam is honourable. It spreads truth and justice on earth. It values people's honour and dignity. It does not violate anyone's rights. It deals with justice on earth.

So the person who turns his back on the enemy during battle and flees — his abode is Hell. He is now a disbeliever. He has denied the religion of Islam. Such a person is a disbeliever. And in denial he fled. Well, he denied the verse. Look, his abode is Hell, says Allah Almighty. So if, disregarding this, disregarding this verse, you retreat and flee from there, then in that case you get branded a disbeliever.

However, as we explained in the previous verses, and as our Lord decrees in this verse too, apart from withdrawing with the aim of gaining strength by joining another company or withdrawing with the aim of regrouping and attacking again, during battle the Muslim does not turn his back on his enemy. Yes, a Muslim never turns his back on the enemy. Before all our eyes, in the Iraq War too, Allah Almighty helped the Iraqis. But no strength was seen against the enemy. They all fled. Fled.

What did they say? Saddam's three weapons. What were they? Desert storm. And a force that appeared to them — whatever kind of force it was, a spiritual one — like angels bringing those planes or the helicopter down, like compasses going astray.

Yes.

In that case, perhaps they were subjected to Allah's punishment.

Now our son Ender says: in this case the address is to the believer, he says. Does a Muslim who still flees become a disbeliever? he asks. Pay attention to the verse. In this case: whoever turns his back to them on such a day — now it changes. What is it? Apart from this case, whoever turns his back to them on such a day, (?) — surely he returns having earned Allah's wrath. His abode is Hell. Since a believer would not do such a thing, the address here is now to the others. What an evil destination that is, He says. Yes.

Let's look at the verse, Al-Anfal Surah — the book isn't here; so let's read the verse again. Look how beautifully it says: except for turning aside to fight again, or reaching another company and holding a position — this is general. Whoever turns his back to them on such a day, surely he has earned Allah's wrath as he returns. His abode is Hell. What an evil destination that is, He says. Yes.

In this verse, for women — our daughter Selim says — it does not apply to women. This verse does not apply to women. Why does it not apply? Because earlier Allah Almighty says of the hypocrites: they sided with those who stay at home. They sided with those who stay at home, that is, with the women. Yes, women's fighting — there is no obligation that a woman must fight in the verse. This fighting is for men. Well, anyway, those hypocrites, He says, sided with those who stay at home. In that case, if a woman fights, of course she attains the (?) of martyrdom even more. So it is not that she cannot fight or does not fight.

If she wishes, she will of course take part in that battle. For example, like our mothers in the War of Independence carrying those weapons, like their being martyred there, like their being martyred under the cannons.

however, as we explained in the previous verses, and as our Lord decrees in this verse too, apart from withdrawing with the aim of gaining strength by joining another company, or withdrawing with the aim of regrouping and attacking again, during battle the Muslim cannot turn his back on the enemy; the moment he turns it, the moment he flees, stamp him: disbeliever; call him a disbeliever; now he has knowingly denied the verse; he is a disbeliever. People who, opposing this command of Allah Almighty, fall into worry for their lives should know that death will, wherever they are, catch them; so the Muslim, according to this verse of Allah Almighty, to Allah submitting, abiding by His verses — when a person on the battlefields dies, he dies a martyr. And when the martyr gives his life for Allah, he attains great ranks in Allah's sight, and he is alive, alive; do not call them dead; they are provided for in a Paradise you do not know, says Allah Almighty. At some point in time, in many places, in many places, someone lost his way during battle.

A Muslim

man, a soldier, a Muslim soldier, looks, and in front of him a Muslim soldier appears. I have lost my way, he says. He takes him. Hands him over to his unit. Who are you? I am so-and-so, he says. Where are you from? I am from such-and-such a place, he says. And finally he got there and sees that he had died long before. A martyr. Yes. They do not even know that they have died. Yes. Allah Almighty gives them that (?). But as one dies, at the moment he tastes death, he calls out to those behind like this: Look how beautifully Allah welcomed us with His smiling face. What are you waiting for? Come quickly, they say.

Come. People who, opposing this command of Allah Almighty, fall into worry for their lives should have known that death would catch them wherever they are. So the Muslim, according to this verse of Allah Almighty, submitting to Allah, abiding by His verses — when a person dies on the battlefields, he becomes a martyr. And when the martyr gives his life for Allah, he has attained great ranks in Allah's sight. In this worldly life no soul will escape death. Because the verse says: every soul shall taste death. Since death will come to people neither a breath earlier nor a breath later, when one can die submitting to Allah Almighty, to die turning one's back on Allah's verses is not wise.

To attain the abode of eternal happiness in the hereafter and become its heir, abide by Allah's verses. Live the religion of Islam, seek Allah's pleasure, so that you attain mercy. Woe to those who depart without earning Allah's pleasure in worldly life. The place of return of such a soul, according to the verses our Lord has made known, is Hell. And Hell is a place of agony and punishment. May Allah Almighty protect us all from such an end.